Desktop Computers

Zindan

Zindan

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Has anyone had experience with high quality USB hubs, specifically regarding their ability to take in a USB-C (Audio) signal and have the devices connected to the hub get the identical signal as if they were connected to the PC directly?

I've come up with nothing trying to find an audio device that would accept a usb input and have two digital outputs, so I'm down to looking for a really good usb hub to connect my Headphone DAC/Amp and a set of powered speakers too.
 
INTHEMIDSTOFLIONS

INTHEMIDSTOFLIONS

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Zindan said:
Has anyone had experience with high quality USB hubs, specifically regarding their ability to take in a USB-C (Audio) signal and have the devices connected to the hub get the identical signal as if they were connected to the PC directly?

I've come up with nothing trying to find an audio device that would accept a usb input and have two digital outputs, so I'm down to looking for a really good usb hub to connect my Headphone DAC/Amp and a set of powered speakers too.
Click to expand...


Anker makes god tier products. I have bought two of their usb docks that I’m happy with (not with jacks, I use Bluetooth headphones).

but this one would be the one I’d get by them if I wanted that. https://a.co/d/iwVfwpG

They make extremely high quality equipment that lasts forever. All of my chargers and charging cords have been Anker since 2019. I’ve only had to replace one since then.
 
darkmiasma

darkmiasma

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Zindan said:
Has anyone had experience with high quality USB hubs, specifically regarding their ability to take in a USB-C (Audio) signal and have the devices connected to the hub get the identical signal as if they were connected to the PC directly?

I've come up with nothing trying to find an audio device that would accept a usb input and have two digital outputs, so I'm down to looking for a really good usb hub to connect my Headphone DAC/Amp and a set of powered speakers too.
Click to expand...

Like this (and use 2 of them):


or an actual hub like this:

www.soundphilereview.com

IKKO ITX01 review: a USB-C hub for audiophiles - Soundphile Review

My other big passion other than audio or, more correctly maybe, my main big passion is technology. I’ve been passionate … More
www.soundphilereview.com www.soundphilereview.com
 
Zindan

Zindan

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Look at things this way: I have once Source (PC) that has 1 USB-C port and I have 2 difference speaker setups that I want to the PC connected too. Both speakers have USB-C ports. I've looked at several of these Hubs, and I see they have lots of different ports, and the only audio reference they have is a headphone jack (which I would never use). If all USB-C ports are equal in terms of allowing hi resolution audio, then I would need a hub that had 3 USB-C ports.
 
Neranja

Neranja

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Zindan said:
If all USB-C ports are equal in terms of allowing hi resolution audio, then I would need a hub that had 3 USB-C ports.
Click to expand...
Not all USB-C ports (and cables for that matter) are made equal, which is even more of a problem because Thunderbolt uses the same connectors. You can get cables and ports ranging from USB 2.0 speeds with USB-C connectors, or commonly with 5 Gbit/s or 10 GBit/s.

For pure audio USB 2.0 speeds are totally fine, so you can even use USB-A to USB-C cables. These are almost always USB 2.0 speeds, where you get 30-40 MBytes/s. Even two channels of 24 bit 96kHz audio is under 600 kBytes/sec. The cheapest and easiest solution is to buy USB-A to USB-C cables and directly attach it to the computer, or buy the cheapest USB hub. Switch with like ... Ctrl-Windows-V.

If you however want to have the same exact signal delivered to both speaker sets at the same time, that is a whole other can of worms.
 
Zindan

Zindan

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Neranja said:
Not all USB-C ports (and cables for that matter) are made equal, which is even more of a problem because Thunderbolt uses the same connectors. You can get cables and ports ranging from USB 2.0 speeds with USB-C connectors, or commonly with 5 Gbit/s or 10 GBit/s.

For pure audio USB 2.0 speeds are totally fine, so you can even use USB-A to USB-C cables. These are almost always USB 2.0 speeds, where you get 30-40 MBytes/s. Even two channels of 24 bit 96kHz audio is under 600 kBytes/sec. The cheapest and easiest solution is to buy USB-A to USB-C cables and directly attach it to the computer, or buy the cheapest USB hub. Switch with like ... Ctrl-Windows-V.

If you however want to have the same exact signal delivered to both speaker sets at the same time, that is a whole other can of worms.
Click to expand...
Indeed it is. I would want the port / cables to be able to support 24bit/192kHz at the very least, as that is what my current DAC supports, and I believe the Kef speakers I'm considering support that (and higher).

Using a Hub is a last resort, tbh, basically because I'm lazy and I'd rather not have to use Windows to switch between speakers. I had thought that getting a new DAC or something like a Preamp with digital outputs would simple and easy... but no. The only device I've found so far which is close to what I want doesn't have an USB input (just optical), Wiim Ultra streamer thing. Though USB-C to Optical adapters do exist. I just think the Wiim has waaaay more features than I would use.
 
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